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You First: Saudis Will Only Send Troops to Syria If US Invades Beforehand

Saudi Arabia will send ground forces to Syria only if the United States decides to put boots on the ground, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Jubeir said in an interview with a French television channel.

Last month, Washington announced sending 250 US troops in addition to 50 special operations forces already on the ground to help train local militants in Syria to fight Daesh.

“If the United States sends ground troops into Syria to fight Daesh, Saudi Arabia would be prepared to send special forces alongside those troops, but we will not be sending troops unilaterally,” the minister told France 24 on Tuesday.

The United States and the Arab Gulf monarchy are part of an international coalition of some 60 nations that have been launching airstrikes at positions of Islamist militants in Syria since August 2014.